Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Cardiology for July 2007. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA Panel Says Avandia Should Stay Despite Heart Risks
TUESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- The widely prescribed type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) should remain on the market, despite studies that suggest it could increase the risk of myocardial infarction, U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers said Monday.
More Information - FDA
More Information - GlaxoSmithKline
Maternal Smoking Increases Newborn Blood Pressure
MONDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- The systolic blood pressure of newborns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy is significantly higher than that of newborns not exposed to tobacco smoke, according to a study published online July 30 in Hypertension.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Agent Orange May Boost Hypertension Risk
FRIDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to the defoliant herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War may be raising blood pressure levels for the aging veterans of that conflict.
More Information - Institute of Medicine
Thiazolinediones Double Risk of Heart Failure in Diabetes
FRIDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Thiazolinediones may double the risk of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a report in the August issue of Diabetes Care, which was first published online in May.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Statin Use Associated with Reduced Dementia Risk
FRIDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Simvastatin use is associated with a reduction in dementia and Parkinson disease incidence in patients taking the drug, according to a report published July 19 in BMC Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Air Pollution Plus LDL May Spur Atherosclerosis
THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Diesel exhaust particles may work in conjunction with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to cause atherosclerosis, suggests a study in cells and mice published online July 26 in Genome Biology.
Abstract
Full Text
Aortic Dissection Mortality Higher with Lumen Thrombosis
WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Partial thrombosis of the false lumen after acute aortic dissection is associated with an increased risk of death after hospital discharge, according to a report in the July 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Vioxx Increases Cardiovascular Events in Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Vioxx (rofecoxib), a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, increases the risk of adverse cardiovascular events within two weeks of treatment, according to a report in the July 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study authors note that the trial was ended early due to withdrawal of Vioxx from the worldwide market.
Abstract
Full Text
Link Seen Between Low Cholesterol and Cancer
WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiac patients who achieve low LDL levels with statin therapy may have a slightly increased risk of cancer, but the cardiovascular benefits of statin therapy still outweigh the risks, according to study findings published in the July 31 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial - LaRosa
Editorial - DeMaria
Pulmonary Artery Catheterizations Fall Sharply
TUESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Since 1993, pulmonary artery catheterization has dramatically declined in hospitals within the United States in response to a growing body of evidence that the procedure does not benefit and may even harm patients, according to a report published in the July 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Meta-Analyses Often Contain Data-Extraction Errors
TUESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- A high percentage of meta-analyses based on standardized mean differences may contain data-extraction errors that negate or even reverse their findings, researchers report in the July 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Cardioverter Defibrillators Showing Greater Benefit
TUESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the risk of sudden cardiac death is lower in those who have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), according to a study published in the July 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
Thyroid Function Linked to Death Risk in Cardiac Patients
TUESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with heart disease, even mild thyroid dysfunction may be associated with an increased risk of death, according to the results of a study published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Benefits of Drug-Eluting Stents May Outweigh Risks
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The benefit of drug-eluting stents, a reduction in the risk of clinically necessary target lesion revascularization, appears to outweigh the slightly increased risk of later stent thrombosis and myocardial infarction, according to a report published in the July 31 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Health Literacy Affects Survival in Elderly
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- In older patients, an inability to read and understand basic health information independently predicts an increased five-year risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death, according to research published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Prophylactic Anticoagulation Reduces Clots, Not Deaths
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Routine prophylactic anticoagulation in hospitalized patients can reduce venous thromboembolic risks compared to placebo, but not mortality, according to study findings published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Outpatient Blood Clots Present Public Health Challenge
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Outpatients are more likely than inpatients to develop venous thromboembolism, indicating a need for more aggressive anticoagulant prophylaxis, according to a study published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
Residents' Decreased Duty-Hours May Have Downside
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Most internal medicine faculty members believe that decreased resident duty-hours have had adverse effects on both residents and faculty, according to a report published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
FDA Issues Class I Recall of Baxter Infusion Pumps
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Baxter Healthcare Corp. of Round Lake, Ill., notified health care professionals and consumers July 20 of a class I recall of the Baxter Upgraded COLLEAGUE Triple Channel Volumetric Infusion Pumps, model numbers 2M8153, 2M8163, and 2M9163.
More Information - Medwatch
More Information - FDA
More Information - Baxter
Declines in Heart Disease Death in Young Adults Slowing
FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Although the overall mortality rate from coronary heart disease has been falling in Britain since 1984, it appears to be leveling off in adults 35-54 years old, according to a study published online July 19 in the journal Heart.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Dairy Intake Linked to Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk
THURSDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Daily consumption of milk and other dairy products by middle-aged men is associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, according to study findings published in the July issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription of payment may be required)
Genome Scan Finds Genes Linked to Heart Disease
THURSDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- A scan of the human genome has identified several gene variants that are associated with coronary artery disease, according to a study published online July 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial - Drazen
Editorial - Rosenzweig
Editorial - Hunter
Drug Combo Boosts Risk in Peripheral Arterial Disease
WEDNESDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with peripheral arterial disease who take an oral anticoagulant in combination with an antiplatelet drug do not benefit in terms of cardiovascular events and are more likely to experience life-threatening bleeding, including hemorrhagic stroke, than patients on antiplatelet therapy alone. The findings are published in the July 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
C-Reactive Protein Linked to Cognition in Child Sleep Apnea
WEDNESDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Children with obstructive sleep apnea who have cognitive impairment are more likely to have increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) than children who do not exhibit cognitive impairment, according to study findings published in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
No Interaction Seen Between Clopidogrel and Statins
WEDNESDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to concerns that certain statins may reduce the effectiveness of clopidogrel because both are
metabolized by CYP3A4, there is no evidence that the drugs interact, according to a report in the July 24 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Non-Fasting Triglyceride Levels Predict Cardiac Events
TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Elevated non-fasting triglyceride levels are a risk factor for coronary heart disease, according to two reports published in the July 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract -- Nordestgaard
Full Text -- Nordestgaard (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract -- Ridker
Full Text -- Ridker (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Radiation from Cardiac Scans May Increase Risk of Cancer
TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) scans for coronary artery disease may impart an increased lifetime risk of cancer, according to a report published in the July 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Diabetic Trauma Patients at Greater Risk of Complications
TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients hospitalized for trauma, those with diabetes mellitus are significantly more likely than non-diabetics to develop complications and require a higher level of care, which increases the cost of their hospitalization, according to study findings published in the July issue of the Archives of Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
AHA Endorses Resistance Training for Heart Patients
MONDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Under proper supervision, most heart patients can safely add resistance training to an exercise program and it may have significant long-term beneficial effects on their cardiovascular and overall health, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement published in the July 31 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Living Near Major Roads May Speed Atherosclerosis
MONDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- People who live near heavily traveled roads are exposed to high amounts of pollution, which may accelerate the development and progression of atherosclerosis, researchers report in the July 31 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Hospitals That Ace Quality Measures Have Lower Mortality
MONDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals scoring highest on publicly reported performance measures for myocardial infarction, heart failure and pneumonia have lower mortality rates compared to low-scoring hospitals, according to a report published in the July/August issue of Health Affairs.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Herceptin More Cardiotoxic in Sequential Therapy
FRIDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- One in five breast cancer patients who receive trastuzumab sequentially after primary chemotherapy may experience cardiotoxicity, a higher rate than in women treated concurrently, according to a letter published July 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Higher Costs for Uninsured After Enrolling in Medicare
FRIDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals who lack health insurance before becoming eligible for Medicare and who have cardiovascular disease or diabetes have more visits to the doctor, hospitalizations and health care costs after enrolling in Medicare than previously insured individuals, according to a report in the July 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
MRI Can Assess Brain Injury in Cardiac Arrest Survivors
THURSDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who are successfully resuscitated after a cardiopulmonary arrest often have brain injuries that can be confirmed with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a report in the July issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Onsite Dietician Counseling Benefits Overweight Patients
THURSDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who consult with a dietician during regular doctor visits may experience sustained improvements in body weight, lipid levels and blood pressure, according to the results of a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Study Questions Shorter Pain-to-Balloon Time Paradigm
WEDNESDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- In patients transferred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention, a shorter pain-to-balloon time is not associated with a decrease in infarct size, and such patients may in fact have a larger infarct, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. This may be because such patients have the most severe symptoms and already have a larger infarct due to unavoidable delays in treatment, the authors suggest.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Healthline Operators Steer Stroke Patients Wrong Way
WEDNESDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital healthline operators may inappropriately advise stroke patients to call their doctors instead of 911, leading to delays in life-saving and brain-saving stroke treatment, according to study findings published in the August issue of Stroke.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
First Ischemic Event Affects Subsequent Renal Function
TUESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- A first myocardial ischemic event may accelerate the natural decline in renal function, with myocardial infarction patients experiencing a more rapid drop in renal function than other patients, according to a report in the July issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
High Intensity Walking Improves Blood Pressure
TUESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Healthy older adults who incorporate some high intensity into their walking program can significantly improve muscle strength and reduce blood pressure, according to the results of a study published in the July issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Magazine's Ranking Omits Some Top Heart Hospitals
MONDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. News & World Report rankings of "America's Best Hospitals for Heart and Heart Surgery" fall short in identifying all the top hospitals for heart attack patients, researchers report in the July 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Dark Chocolate Intake May Reduce Blood Pressure
THURSDAY, July 5 (HealthDay News) -- Daily consumption of a small amount of dark chocolate may benefit patients with above-optimal blood pressure, according to the results of a randomized trial published in the July 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
High Serum Myeloperoxidase May Predict Heart Disease
THURSDAY, July 5 (HealthDay News) -- High serum levels of myeloperoxidase -- an inflammatory protein that damages the cardiovascular system -- may predict the development of coronary artery disease in apparently healthy patients, according to the results of a study published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Thiazolidinediones Appear OK for Heart Failure Patients
WEDNESDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- The use of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) is not associated with an increased risk for mortality or even hospitalization in patients with diabetes confounded by heart failure, according to a report in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Protein May Be Marker for Coronary Artery Disease in Men
TUESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, a protein involved in immune recognition of pathogens, may be an independent predictor of coronary artery disease in men, researchers report in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Health Courts a Promising Model for Malpractice Suits
TUESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association has backed the idea of health courts for states without caps on claims for medical malpractice, stating that they are an option that deserves greater exploration. This information was released by the AMA on June 26.
More Information
Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing Linked to Cardiac Remodeling
TUESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Narrow retinal arteriolar caliber is an independent risk factor for left ventricular remodeling suggesting that microvascular disease may contribute to cardiac remodeling, according to a report in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Impaired Lung Function Linked to Systemic Inflammation
MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- In young adults, reduced lung capacity is independently associated with a high level of systemic inflammation, which could increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a report published online June 29 in Thorax.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Climate Change Likely to Increase Mortality Rates
MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Hotter summer temperatures associated with global warming are likely to increase mortality rates, according to the results of a study published online June 28 in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Glycemic Load Can Increase Risk of Heart Disease
MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- High dietary glycemic load increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a report in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
